Chickens are interesting creatures that are very common in almost any backyard. People raise them for different purposes such as for meat and eggs, as pets, and for ornamentation during poultry shows and exhibitions. Now, to have a healthy flock, you need to understand the demands of your chickens. Other than giving them a balanced diet, you need to understand their sleeping tendencies and preferences.
You see, understanding the sleeping cycle of your chickens is important as it allows you to create a conducive environment for your birds to sleep in. It also helps you in coming up with a daily routine and schedule that fulfills the needs and demands of your flock.
Now, chickens usually sleep at dusk, when the sun goes down, and wake up at dawn when the sun rises. Just as humans, chickens are happy during the day and when raised in the right environment, they’re happy to free range and forage for pasture such as worms, slugs, bugs, and vegetation. By foraging and dust bathing, your chickens will stay happy and develop the right energy to lay eggs. So, what are the sleeping arrangements of chickens?
Understanding Chickens Bedtime
Now, do chickens have a bedtime? Well, the answer is yes. You see, chickens are photo-sensitive creatures that can’t see in the dark. Since they’re at the bottom of the food chain, chickens tend to get nervous and feel vulnerable when it gets dark.
For this reason, chickens are usually keen to observe the position of the sun to determine when to get ready for bedtime. In most cases, chickens start getting back to their coop when the sun descends beneath the horizon.
However, you need to note that bedtime or rather sunsets come in different hours depending on the season. For instance, during the winter season, when daylight hours are the shortest, chickens retire to bed early during the day. This can be around 3:45 PM to 4:00 PM. From there, they sleep till morning.
The same applies during summer when the days are the longest. Here, your flock will take longer to sleep, which will be until late in the evening.
Do Chickens Go to Sleep Early?
Just as we mentioned earlier, chickens are photo-sensitive creatures. However, the time they get back to the coop depends on the season and your geological location. Therefore, there’s no fixed time as to when they should get to sleep.
The most interesting fact about chickens is that they instinctively know when to get to bed. In most cases, this occurs as soon as it gets dark. Provided your flock knows its way back home and into the coop, there’s nothing you can do about it as it all happens naturally.
Now, if you’re raising a flock for the first time, it’s easy to ask yourself, “Can chickens see in the dark?”. The answer is no. Chickens don’t see in the dark. Therefore, they tend to get back to their coops before dusk to protect themselves from predators.
But other than predator attacks, there are two more reasons that make chickens sleep early. One of them is old age. Here, aging chickens retire to bed much earlier than their younger counterparts.
Another reason is finding a better roosting spot in the coop. this is mostly done by weaker chickens at the bottom of the pecking order as the best spots are mostly occupied by alpha roosters and other chickens at the top of the pecking order.
Reasons for Chickens Going to Sleep at Night?
Now, there are three main reasons why chickens go to sleep at night. The first reason is the obvious instinct that chickens have. This instinct comes in the form of a circadian rhythm or a body clock that tells chickens that it’s about time to rest.
The second reason is the fact that chickens are blind during the night. So, when it gets close to darkness, they tend to get back to their coops to monitor their movements inside the coop. Otherwise, if they get to the coop too late in the evening, they might not be able to see clearly leading to possible accidents.
Lastly, chickens are aware of their status in the food chain. Since they’re susceptible to attacks, they tend to get nervous when walking in the dark. Since their vision is limited, they become easy targets as they’re already disadvantaged.
Do Chickens Go to Bed by Themselves?
The best thing about chickens is that they tend to master daily routines quite fast. So, when it comes to going to bed on their own, chickens will do that happily provided they know their way home. However, if you notice your flock has not mastered the coop, then you can lock them for a few nights, maybe three.
Otherwise, chickens don’t need to be coaxed to get to bed. They usually know when it’s the best time to head back to the coop to sleep. To encourage them to return home happily, there are some things you should consider.
First, you should keep the coop in a safe location that’s easier for the chickens to locate. Secondly, keep the coop clean and check for cases of bullying as these can make your chickens fail to get to the coop. Also, check whether you have injured chickens as such chickens can’t perch on high roosting bars.
Lastly, make sure the coop is well protected to avoid predators from attacking your flock when the chickens are asleep.
How Much Do Chickens Sleep?
Now, there’s no definite answer to this question as the amount of sleep your chickens get hugely varies depending on various conditions. However, on average, chickens should get around 8 – 12 hours of sleep. Although they tend to do nothing but free-range, chickens utilize a lot of their energy in laying eggs.
For that reason, they need to sleep and rest regularly to replenish their energy. Now, learning about your chickens’ sleeping patterns is important so that you can determine whether they’re getting enough sleep or not.
We’ve already mentioned that chickens require 8 – 12 hours of sleep daily. What you may not know is that sleep patterns can vary depending on various factors.
One of these factors is the season. We’ve already discussed it so we won’t get back to it. The next factor is the age of your chickens where older chickens sleep for longer hours than energetic young pullets and cockerels.
Another reason is the nature of your chickens where some breeds of chickens are more alert than others. Breeds with an alert temperament tend to be light sleepers and will mostly sleep for shorter hours than others.
Does your backyard have plenty of lighting? Well, this might just be another reason why your chickens are not having enough sleep. A brightly lit backyard will force chickens to stay awake for long hours as they might associate this light with daylight.
Lastly, there’s the issue of the pecking order. Here, chickens at the bottom of the pecking order will have to stay alert throughout the night as they tend to roost on the edges while chickens at the top of the pecking order roost in the middle.
With that said, we’ve added a table that summarizes how much chickens sleep depending on their age.
| Age Of Chicken | Recommended Sleeping Hours |
| 1 Day Old Chicks | 16 – 18 Hours |
| 7 Days Old Chicks | 14 Hours |
| 8 Weeks Old Chicks | 12 Hours |
| 12 Weeks Old Chicks | 10 Hours |
| 16 Weeks Old Chicks | 8 Hours |
| Laying Hens | Over 8 Hours |
| Cockerels | 8 Hours |
What Time Do Chickens Wake Up?
If you don’t know much about chickens, you’re likely to ask “do chickens sleep?” Now, just like other animals, chickens need some hours of sleep to rest. Chickens sleep at dusk when the sun sets. In the morning, they wake up at down when the sun rises.
However, they don’t necessarily need light for them to wake up. Chickens have an internal clock that tells them when to wake up as soon as it’s morning. That’s the reason why you’ll notice your roosters crowing early morning even when the coop is shuttered with darkness.
Are Chickens Nocturnal?
Nocturnal animals are those that are active at night such as predators. Since chickens are blinded by darkness, they’re not active at night making them diurnal rather than nocturnal. Diurnal creatures are usually active during the day. Since chickens forage during daytime hours, they easily fall into this category. Also, chickens can be said to be crepuscular as they’re more active during the twilight hours of sunrise and sunset.
Why Do Chickens Huddle Together to Sleep?
Now, before we discuss why chickens huddle together when sleeping, let’s first answer the question of how chickens sleep.
You see, birds usually don’t sleep in their nests but rather roost on branches on top of trees. Nests are only for laying eggs, brooding, and raising chicks. The same applies to chickens. Therefore, when raising a flock, it’s important to set roosting perches inside the coop at a height of 1.5 – 3 feet. The roosting perches perform the job of protecting your chickens against wetness, predators, and contamination.
Back to our topic, chickens are sometimes likely to huddle together. This behavior is common and is triggered by various factors which we’ll discuss below.
- Roosting Problems: Chickens can huddle together if there’s a problem with the roosting perches. Some of the potential problems include:
- Roosting bars being too high
- Lack of enough space on the roosting bars
- Roosting bars are too uncomfortable
- Chickens are too young to perch on the roosting bars
- Cold Weather: When temperatures are too low, your chickens will close the gaps on the roosting bars by sticking close together. This way, they’ll benefit from each other’s warmth, which is important.
- Age: When chickens are young, their feathers are not fully developed. This makes it hard for them to regulate body temperatures forcing them to huddle closely together to keep each other warm.
- Predators: The final reason why your chickens might be huddling together is a possible threat from predators. Since chickens are always on high alert, a little discomfort or sense of insecurity can cause them to come close together to make it hard for predators to target them.
How Can You Provide Your Chickens a Sound Sleep Environment?
Unlike humans, chickens are not keen on the aesthetics or the physical appeal of the coop for them to sleep. Provided the coop is clean, secure, and comfortable enough for them to sleep in, anything else is just a bonus but not a necessity.
However, imagine if you notice your chickens aren’t getting into the coop to sleep. Well, it means something is a miss somewhere and serious inspection will be needed. So, if you’re among those farmers whose chickens aren’t getting into the coop at dusk, then here are some tricks you can try out.
Feed Your Chickens Before Bed
If your chickens are yet to master the right time to get back to the coop, perhaps you can lure them into the coop by setting treats from the backyard to the coop. In most cases, you should set the treats as soon as it gets dark.
By doing this, your flock will master the schedule and with time, you’ll see them getting into the coop when it gets dark. Other than giving them treats, you should feed your flock at least an hour before dusk to ensure that they don’t sleep with empty stomachs.
Provide Some Light
Can chickens see in the dark? This is one of the common questions asked by chicken enthusiasts. Well, chickens don’t see in the dark. For this reason, your chickens can sometimes fail to get into the coop if it’s too dark inside. Therefore, providing some light before dusk is important to help guide the chickens. You can turn off the lights once they’re settled.
Make the Coop Comfortable
As we mentioned earlier, chickens are not concerned with the aesthetics but rather the overall condition of the coop. One of the things that can drive them away is the lack of enough space. Therefore, if you notice your flock is too squeezed, you can consider building a bigger coop that will offer each chicken at least 2 square feet of space. Also, the coop should be well insulated against cold.
Clean the Coop
If your coop is dirty and smelly, then your flock will not enjoy the environment at night. Although chickens don’t pee, their poop is around 75% liquid. This means that the coop will remain wet and smelly due to excess uric acid, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.
Now, such a coop is considered toxic and quite dangerous as it can lead to pests and insect infestation. Therefore, to keep your chickens comfortable, you need to clean the coop often by removing the excess litter. You also need to provide proper ventilation at the top to replace carbon dioxide and ammonia fumes with fresh air.
Mind the Roosting Bars
Now, your flock has many chicken sleeping techniques. One of these techniques is sleeping on roosting bars. Chickens enjoy sleeping on elevated roosting perches to feel safe and secure. Therefore, the roosting bars should be at least 3 feet high and should provide each chicken with 8 – 10 inches of space. The material used should be durable and comfortable enough for the chickens to perch on.
Pests and Predator Infestation
If your entire flock is refusing to get into the coop at dusk, then it means there’s a possible predator threat. Sometimes, the problem might just be a parasite infestation that’s making them feel troubled. No matter the case, it’s important that you secure your chickens from predators by sealing any loopholes.
About parasite attacks, make sure that you clean the coop often, and don’t forget to replace the bedding with something fresh. Also, apply a chemical solution to kill the pests, and don’t forget to clean your flock as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can Chickens See in the Dark?
No, they can’t. However, these creatures have interesting facts. First, chickens are creatures of habit. What I mean by this is that once they master the daily routines, it’s hard for them to break them. So, once you teach them the right time to get back to the coop, they will master this time and get inside the coop at that exact time.
Secondly, chickens have a pineal gland that sits on their midbrains just behind the eyes. The purpose of the pineal gland is to sense when dusk or down is nearby. This way, your chickens will determine when to get into the coop or when to come out.
Q2. How Do Baby Chicks Sleep?
Besides asking how chickens sleep, most people also ask the question, how do baby chicks sleep? Now, you all know that chickens sleep on roosting bars. However, the same can’t be said for chicks. That’s because baby chicks are too small to perch on roosting bars. Instead, chicks sleep under or beside their mothers. They can either sit down or stretch on the ground.
Q3. Do Chickens Sleep with Their Eyes Open?
No. chickens close their eyes just as humans do. However, there’s one interesting fact about chickens you need to know. Chickens can sleep with one eye open and the other one closed. This means that they will be asleep and alert at the same time.
In chickens, the right side of the brain controls the left eye while the left side of the brain controls the right eye. This is the main reason why chickens at the bottom of the pecking order sleep on the edges. They sleep with one eye and stay alert with the other.
Q4. Do Chickens Sleep Stand Up?
No! chickens don’t sleep while standing. What they do is that they perch on roosting bars to sleep or relax. This is the main reason why perching bars are important in your coop.
Q5. Do Chickens Sleep During the Day?
Yes, they do. Chickens sleep during the day. However, they only take short naps that last a few minutes or a few hours. This mostly happens after they’ve eaten to allow precise digestion of food.
Q6. Can Chickens Sleep with a Heat Lamp On?
Some people say no while others say yes. Some argue that keeping the heat lamp on will confuse the chickens by thinking its day time. Others argue that chickens are diurnal animals that are less active at night meaning they will stay asleep.
According to most experts, having a heat lamp that produces red light is the safest approach. Most of them argue that red light makes your flock stay calm and feel more peaceful. Since it doesn’t mimic daylight, your chickens will sleep soundly without being disturbed by the light.
Q7. Can Chickens Sleep Outside?
Probably not. Allowing chickens to sleep outside at night is very dangerous as you’re exposing them to a lot of risks. The first risk is a possible attack from predators. You see, even if you think you have a secure run, it’s probably not 100% secure. That’s because chickens are vulnerable to a lot of predators both on the ground and in the air. Secondly, chickens can suffer from bad weather. So, in case of rain, storm, or snow, your chickens will be at a huge risk if the weather becomes suddenly hostile.
Final Thoughts
So, do chickens sleep, or do they stay awake all night? Well, I believe this guide has provided some answers to some of the questions you might have regarding chickens and sleep. The best thing about chickens, however, is that they have an internal clock that tells them when to get inside the coop and when to wake up at dawn.
Although it might be challenging at first, it only takes a few days for chickens to master their daily routine. Something else about chickens and sleep is that they need a clean, comfortable and secure environment to sleep in.
Therefore, you should keep the coop clean at all times, create enough room and add more roosting bars to accommodate your entire flock. Lastly, secure the coop from any form of predator attack.
Read Also:
- How Often to Change Chicken Bedding? Everything You Need to Know
- When Do Easter Eggers Start Laying? All You Need to Know
- What Time of Day Do Chickens Lay Eggs?
Hello, I am John Reid. I have been raising chickens for the last 15 years. I have got my experience from my father. My father is the owner of a large chicken farm. This is our family business that has been continuing for over 35 years. I am very interested in backyard chickens and I know how to take care of them. You can learn more About Us here. Happy Reading!!
